Ham and Bean Soup Trial: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

With hams being on sale for Easter, I bought the smallest one I could find, and still had tons left over. I decided that Smokey Bean Soup with Ham and Bacon from Our Best Bites would be a perfect way to use it up.

The Changes

I don’t have smoked paprika, so I just used regular paprika. I also used garlic powder instead of minced garlic.

The Method

Cut bacon into bite-size pieces. Cook in a large stockpot until crisp. Remove bacon and let drain on paper towels. Drain and discard all but 2-3 teaspoons of bacon fat.

Sauté onion in reserved bacon fat. Add ham, beans, paprika, salt, and garlic, and stir to combine. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in half of the bacon. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth (or blend 3 cups at a time in a regular blender)

Remove from heat and blend (using an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender) until completely smooth. Top with remaining bacon and serve.

Makes 7 servings

What I Thought

I thought this soup was ok, nothing terribly special. My husband quite liked it though, as did Joseph. We hardly had to convince him to eat it instead of just the bacon. My daughter couldn’t be persuaded though. Ah well.